On May 17, 2026, the 13th Franconian Bratwurst Summit will take place in Pegnitz. 10 butcher shops have already registered to compete for the crown. Among them is the two-time winner, Metzgerei Freyberger. The Freybergers will compete with their World Cup bratwurst. Because: This year, the butcher shop, with its protégé Pascal Karatay, already secured the European championship title in butchery.
What is the Franconian Bratwurst Summit?
At the Franconian Bratwurst Summit, various butcher shops compete for the title of Bratwurst King. There are usually three categories with trophies: the best Franconian bratwurst, the best creative bratwurst, and the audience award. While a jury evaluates the first two categories, visitors vote for the audience award. The butcher shop with the most votes receives the visitor trophy.
The whole spectacle features an extensive stage show, live moderation, and music. Visitors can purchase bratwurst from the butcher shops in a large park with seating and enjoy the day. "It's a great event with delicious food, beer, and a concentrated dose of craftsmanship," explains Dirk Freyberger. You can find a comprehensive video about the event here.
The Emperor's Crown within Reach
In 2025, Metzgerei Freyberger did not achieve any success. Only in the years before did the Freybergers win twice in a row. Furthermore, last year there were also short-notice rule changes that spontaneously denied the audience award. However, this had always been an integral part. Edeka Wagner from Coburg took the crown of a traditional craftsmanship competition.
But Niclas Römer from Römer Beef in Nuremberg also went empty-handed. He had previously announced his challenge to the two-time Bratwurst King in the Nürnberger Nachrichten. Since then, things have quieted down around Niclas Römer, and Römer Beef is no longer eligible to participate. "It's always a shame when butcher shops have to close, but Nuremberg must continue to be represented," reveals Freyberger.
Nuremberg's bratwurst culture is known worldwide. Whether it's the famous Nuremberg bratwursts or the variety of Franconian ones from the famous city. That's why it's all the more important that Nuremberg has a face at the Bratwurst Summit, says the master butcher.
Metzgerei Freyberger also wants to be the first Bratwurst Emperor. In shooting clubs, it is customary for a three-time shooting king to be crowned emperor "and that's exactly the crown we want," announces the two-time king.
The Summit Reforms Itself
The organizers of the Franconian Bratwurst Summit are striving for improvement and re-evaluating their concept. They are reintroducing the audience award, which will be determined online using geo-tagging.
This means that visitors can vote for the best bratwurst with their mobile devices. To prevent fraud, votes from devices on-site will be recorded once. With the help of local attribution, the voting process should be handled more transparently.
The jury is also changing. Previously, sponsors, politicians, and partly randomly selected visitors were chosen. Now, a specialized jury will take over. "We think it's good that the summit always wants to develop further," says the butcher.
As every year, participants and organizers sit together and provide mutual feedback. "We all learn something new every year and want to preserve this great craft event in the future," adds Freyberger.
